Palazzo Mediceo
Ottaviano (NA)
Hidden gemHistory & archaeology
The story
At the foot of Vesuvius, the ancient fortress that the Medici turned into a residence dominates Ottaviano; today it houses the park authority, suspended between medieval stone and gardens in the shadow of the volcano.
Access
Check for visits
The story
The Medici Palace of Ottaviano, at the foot of Vesuvius, was born as a Lombard castle on a spur, in a strategic position over the Nola plain. In 1567 Don Bernardetto de' Medici, nephew of Cosimo the Elder, bought it and turned it from a fortress into a Renaissance princely residence: hence the branch of the Medici Princes of Ottajano.
What to see
The great palace with its historic gardens, a testimony of the Vesuvian nobility. Confiscated in 1991 and returned to the community, since 2008 it has housed on the ground floor the seat of the Vesuvius National Park Authority and an environmental education centre; the upper floor hosts cultural events.
Tips
The palace is the seat of the Vesuvius National Park and a cultural space: gardens and events have their own arrangements and hours, to be checked on the official channels of the Municipality of Ottaviano and the Park. You are at the foot of Vesuvius, a good starting point for the protected area.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Medici Palace of Ottaviano?
An ancient Lombard castle turned in the sixteenth century into a princely residence by the Medici Princes of Ottajano; today, returned to the community, it is the seat of the Vesuvius National Park Authority.
What does it house today?
On the ground floor the seat of the Vesuvius National Park and an environmental education centre; on the upper floor cultural events. The historic gardens are part of the complex.
Where is it?
At Ottaviano, at the foot of Vesuvius, in the Vesuvian hinterland east of Naples.
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